WKYT FirstAlert Weather

A Flood Watch and a Winter Storm Watch are out for the entire region late Tuesday through early Thursday.
Heavy rain develops Tuesday night into Wednesday morning and may put down 1”-3” in some areas.
We are looking at the possibility of significant snow and sleet from late Wednesday through early Thursday.

Severe Weather Alert

A Flood Watch and a Winter Storm Watch are out for the entire region late Tuesday through early Thursday.
Heavy rain develops Tuesday night into Wednesday morning and may put down 1”-3” in some areas.
We are looking at the possibility of significant snow and sleet from late Wednesday through early Thursday.

Man in Laurel County arrested for child abuse

LAUREL COUNTY, Ky. (WKYT) - WKYT is tracking the investigation into some disturbing accusations against a Southern Kentucky father. Police say he attacked his seven and nine-year-old children.

Two Laurel County deputies got a call Saturday night, coming from Clark Lane in Lily, involving a father and his two children. The deputies say Thomas Gifford's wife told them he had choked their 9-year-old daughter and thrown her in a closet, and then kicked their 7-year-old in the back.

"No significant injuries and at this time we've not determined what actually caused the arguments to take place and for the children to be struck like this," explained Deputy Gilbert Acciardo with the Laurel County Sheriff's Department. Deputy Acciardo says his deputies won't stop investigating just because they make an arrest.

"We are gonna still investigate, and try to determine what brought that on. We also notified social services so they could do a home investigation also."

Deputies booked Thomas Gifford in the Laurel County Jail. He has since bonded out of jail.

"What would have happened if our deputies hadn't arrived at the scene? We don't want to think about that. We got there. We investigated. We did what the law says that we need to do and we took care of the situation and the children are safe."

Deputy Acciardo says Gifford has a history of medical issues that may have contributed to his actions.

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